Telegram-herald., 1887-10-30
THE BOOK or BOOKS"

The Story of an Old Lady who Was
Forced to Pawn the Family Bible
at doesn't argue wei. for peoples piety,"
said one of the largest Bowery pawnbrokers,
''that ono of the first things to go TO mine
uncle is the family Bible It's true, of course,
that the book of books is not strictly thing
OF necessity. viewing the matter from a
strictly utilitarian standpoint, and this fact
may have much 10 do with the great number
Of Bibles constantly offered Us as security for
a loan. Besides, when people resort TO the
pawnshop for money they generally have
their sens1mentality pretty well knocked out
of them. What do know, however, is that
a great many Of my customers think much
sooner of disposing of their family Bibles
than Of tbs.. jewels or silk garments. OF
course the demand for such goods is limited
with us, and 50 I frequently refuse Bibles
Then, in most cases, other articles of a
greater intrinsic value. such as fine cloaks,
etc, are offered and accepted
"Do you really sell such Bibles againT'
dusried the reporter
why, yes; / myself would hardly look In
pawpbroker's place for il when I wanted
such thing as a family Bible, but others do.
as I've convinced myself frequently. Thus
the other day a young married couple came
IN and bought one Of mean unredesn1ed
pledge, of course-for less than half price
II must have been an heirloom once, for the
date and the claSys Of solid silver showed
that And this young couple, beginners in
housekeeping. invested g. note in the pur-
chase with the same matter Of fact air thev
would probably have shown in buying a
piano OF rocking chair
And doat YOU remember caees where
| people ssauied sorry 70 part With their family
| BiblesT
II dos few. not many TIE only case.
| however. I recollsct where I really SYN
| pathired vith the pledger Was that Of an old
| broken down LADY. Sac seemed IN roor
beslth and peauiless. 3 widow. apparently. "a
I Judge from bsr sable weeds It's several
ysars ago and shs is dad nov. poor soul
Ske rad been lesviag a grsat many things
with ne onn after ire cher. for most of
| Which I could lend hor far sum. for thsT
we're nesriy al ~sst voa mi zht call articles
d vertu-asf hai vou p~reeive ths pun
Sirf-sach a. oid 9ivsrwsre fne -
81 carved chsssr-sen- a faw miniature paisf-
+ ings n ivor~. &c. A. lar sae csue with
tbst sld 8ibie. I happene,i toob~rve hev a.
/ sbe cszs sfe locked much Older. raora bsx
I rsr3 sFd r,rsn than when : raj frst seer
+ her ani hep clothes ioeked shsuhier Sh.
cane with batting Undecided Esit. fba'
Bibie hidden snder ser thin sha-i sne
pressed - ser hosozD. ~ee rseead the uisc.
t~ics hefors sae fnaHr entered. snd th.r
With tears in hev voics and n her evrS. too
~ Jinsiasf--shs uuwrsrr~i che hook arr
ss4ei ~ ~haf -ouid let her hs-p IN e.
( c'uis - sne 49, in sr~st distress sni utfe'
waus. snd / rightly fsdxes tsst thst Hshh
wss sb9nt the SO th.as .h4 ha5 to part wlth
/ - pad ber slss shsat rsst ! -oaia .xpec.
- a. fer sF-f ksowsnx A. tb~ tsu.
tbss see sspti sewer r~oeen ft So psrsss
froua ne sadig sas ~ffh ss~nesst sgse sn.
] fslf ! siaoaAfnf ses hsr sEasn + ss~sat
A ss~ nenfhs later s.v her ran. 10 80
parsrs Sh~ hsA s.ed En- her bttl. Fae~ef
rr-sasnshv - ft.fvsflon A. hrr fao~rs
snsur r~apis - naaaas osFse ts~ surfs~.
st s~raae 80 49, hn-s 49, sears~sfssi a..
kad ssrr.iF he~o rr-~s-t~d ~ FFils a.
fais~ stsns~ to eisim ss=lst.n,@ ~s~r. s
oneas ~ hs~s eoss~ ffssa $50 feFs Fss-
lna Esn
/ 80 -. nf4fss.~s fa..<~s-. n~x fa~ 49,